Waste container for vehicles and the like

ABSTRACT

A waste container, such as for a van or SUV, is made from decorative or color-coordinating fabric to form a cylindrical container or shell. The shell includes a mechanism for holding a standard-sized plastic bag in place within the shell so that the plastic bag is supported and partially hidden from view. The shell also includes attachment devices for securing the waste container to the interior of a vehicle. The plastic bag is easily removed from the shell for disposal, and a fresh bag is easily installed.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to waste containers and more particularly to waste containers adapted for use in a variety of locations, including home, office and motor vehicles. A flexible shell includes a unique mechanism that maintains the shell in an open state, as well as accepting and retaining a standard-sized plastic refuse bag. When full, the refuse bag is easily removed and discarded, and a new bag is then installed. The shell may include straps or hooks to permit an installation with convenient access for use in SUVs, cars, vans, recreational vehicles (RVs), or boats.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Small waste containers, such as automobile “litter bags,” often prove unsatisfactory for a number of reasons. In many cases, a retail store plastic bag serves as the container that is used to collect trash. In addition to the overall unattractiveness of the bag, which must be placed in an easily seen location to be available when needed, it is often difficult to find a location that is convenient for use, does not interfere with or block the vehicle's controls, and allows the bag to remain open for easy deposit of trash. Plastic bags have a tendency to slump at their openings, therefore making it difficult to insert trash or garbage, to prevent trash from falling out of the bag, and to determine when the bag is full and ready to be discarded. The lack of a freestanding ability in such a bag is even more unsatisfactory in a home or office.

More permanent litter bags or trash containers are available, but residue is often left in the bag or container after it is emptied, necessitating periodically washing or otherwise cleaning of the bag or container. In addition to often not hanging properly or being inconveniently located in a vehicle environment, such bags are typically limited in size, and therefore require frequent emptying and/or cleaning.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a waste container that has an attractive appearance, is easily mounted or positioned in a variety of different locations, and is both convenient to use and to clean.

It is further object of the present invention to provide a waste container that uses disposable liner bags that are held securely in place during use, but are easily removable for replacement.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a waste container that is adaptable for use with a variety of vehicles through the use of an interchangeable mounting structure.

Further objects, embodiments, forms, benefits, aspects, features and advantages of the present invention may be obtained from the description, drawings, and claims provided herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a waste container constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational, partial cross-sectional, view of a waste container constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is an enlarged portion of the cross-sectional view of the waste container shown in FIG. 2, illustrating its construction in greater detail.

FIG. 3 is a perspective partially cut-away view of a waste container in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, showing the insertion of a liner bag.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of certain parts of a waste container in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, illustrating a manner of its construction.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of additional parts of a waste container in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, illustrating a manner of its construction.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a portion of an assembled waste container in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of an attachment device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a waste container constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an attachment device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a side elevational, partial cross-sectional, view of a waste container constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10A is an enlarged portion of the cross-sectional view of the waste container shown in FIG. 10, illustrating its construction in greater detail.

FIG. 11 is a side elevational, partial cross-sectional, view of the waste container shown in FIG. 10, illustrating aspects of its construction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

For the purposes of promoting understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is hereby intended and alterations and modifications in the illustrated device, and further applications of the principles of the present invention as illustrated herein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

FIG. 1 illustrates, in accordance with an aspect of one embodiment of the present invention, a waste container 10, illustratively shown as being adapted for placement in a vehicle. Waste container 10 is shown as having an outer shell 12 that is illustratively constructed of fabric, upholstery or cloth, but may be made of any durable material that is pliable, flexible, and permits easy attachment or incorporation of parts, e.g., by sewing, or by the use of rivet or screws, such as, for example, leather or vinyl. The material of shell 12 may be selected to match the particular environment in which container 10 will be used, such as by providing a variety of colors and patterns in order to coordinate with a wide range of possible locations, including, but not limited to, automobile, recreational vehicle, boat, or room interiors.

Container 10 is configured to receive and hold a liner 14, which may be an easily obtainable conventional plastic garbage bag having a standard size, e.g., 4 gallons, for receiving trash and refuse. Liner 14 is firmly held in position, yet is easily removed and replaced when full, as will be explained in more detail below. Also shown in FIG. 1 are hooks 16, which comprise one example of a means for mounting and/or attaching container 10 within the environment, e.g., an motor vehicle interior, in which container 10 will be used. Other suitable structures, such as those that will be described in greater detail below, that would perform the function of hooks 16 include elastic open-loop straps, elastic closed-loop straps, a single handle, and wire hooks or loops. Hooks 16 are illustratively shown as being manufactured of plastic and attached to container 10 via snap rivets 18, only one of which is shown, that pass through shell 12. Other means for attaching hooks 16 to container 10 are equally suitable and will be determined by the material selected for hooks 16. Appropriate attachment arrangements may include wire, elastic, fabric, bolts, buttons, snaps, or directly stitching of hooks 16 to shell 12. Clearly, the selection of a particular type of mounting structure, e.g., elastic straps, will require that a suitable material and manner in which to attach that structure or structures to shell 12 be chosen.

FIG. 2 shows further details of the construction of container 10. Annular rings or bands, shown in FIG. 2 as top inside band 20 and top outside band 22, are disposed at the top or upper portion of container 10, while annular bottom inside band 24 and bottom outside band 26 are disposed at the bottom or lower portion of container 10. Bands 20, 22, 24 and 26 are preferably made of a strong material, such as strips of metal or plastic, for example, that is able to withstand the amount of expected use of container 10 without breaking or otherwise failing, yet be pliable enough to be formed into a circular or ring shape. Once the desired dimension of a given ring is achieved, rivets 28, or some other suitable attachment device, such as sewing, are driven or stitched through the overlap of the banding material to fix the dimensions of that band. Rivets 28 can be seen in the cross-sectional view portion of FIG. 2. It is possible to form bands 20, 22, 24, and 26 of predetermined sizes that would result in as tight a fit as desired between top inside band 20 and top outside band 22, and between bottom inside band 24 and bottom outside band 26, thereby potentially eliminating the need to use rivets 28 or other means of attachment. However, as described below, the variation in thickness and weight of the material of shell 12 would require a large number of “standard” band sizes to be provided, which diminishes the described potential advantage. Also shown in FIG. 2 is a stabilizing member or brace 37. Brace 37 is designed to maintain shell 12 fully extended or open, so that in applications where container 10 does not hang free and would tend to slump closed, brace 37 counteracts this slumping tendency to allow container 10 to stand by itself, thereby providing a more efficient use of container 10. The use of brace 37 would thus allow container 10 to be used in a variety of locations, such as at home, in an office (or home office). In a home or office environment, container 10 could be made of a size that would accommodate larger plastic bags, e.g., 8 gallon or 11 gallon sizes, thereby increasing its efficiency. Brace 37 may be permanently mounted in container 10 during manufacture, or it may be installed in a manner that it can be removed if desired, or it could be supplied uninstalled to permit efficient packing and shipment of containers 10, with instructions as to how to install brace 37 if the customer needed the functionality that brace 37 provides. Although FIG. 2 shows one brace 37, two or more braces could be used as well in order to provide additional support to container 10, such as when the size of container 10 is increased, or the environment in which container 10 is used requires additional support.

FIG. 2A shows an enlarged portion of FIG. 2, namely, the area at the upper portion of container 10. By referring to FIG. 2A, the manner in which bands 20 and 22 are used may be seen. In the embodiment of FIG. 2A, the material of shell 12 passes over band 22 and is securely fastened to band 22 by way of snap rivet 28 or by other means, such as stitching. The material of shell 12 can be seen to then pass over band 20, where it is secured by stitching 32 and/ or by other means such as snap rivets 33. As can be seen, band 20 is slightly smaller in diameter than band 22. As described previously, fastening devices, such as stitching 32, or fasteners other than rivets 33, may be used with equally satisfactory results. The attachment of shell 12 to bands 20 and 22 therefore forms a pouch, channel, or slot 34 between bands 20 and 22, the width of which is determined by the difference in size between bands 20 and 22, as well as being critical to proper operation of container 10. As will be described in greater detail below, the thickness of the material of shell 12 may require that bands 20 and 22 be closer together or farther apart in order to achieve the necessary width of slot 34 so that container 10 functions properly. Because of possible large variation of material thickness that may be chosen for shell 12, it may be more economical to determine proper dimension for the fabrication of bands 20, 22, 24, and 26 in response to the particular material selected, rather than making the bands with a fixed difference in dimensions and risking improper or unsatisfactory operation due to ill-fitting parts.

Slot 34 therefore extends around the complete circumference of the top edge of container 10. The circumference of the top of container 10 is chosen to accommodate a standard-sized plastic waste bag, e.g., 4 gallon size, that is easily found and purchased in virtually any grocery or discount department store. As can be seen in FIG. 3, the top portion 36 of an appropriately sized plastic bag 38 that forms the opening of bag 38 is inserted into slot 34 by way of an insertion tool 39. Tool 39 operates as a wedge-like device and forces top portion 36 of bag 38 into slot 34. As can be appreciated, the dimension of slot 34 is critical to the proper insertion and capture of portion 36 of bag 38. If slot 34 is too small or narrow, it will be difficult or impossible to properly insert portion 36 of bag 38 into slot 34. If slot 34 is too large or wide, portion 36 of bag 38 will not be securely held and place and may easily slip out, thereby compromising the operation of container 10.

Referring to FIG. 4, the manner of construction of container 10 will now be described. Shell 12, as previously described, is manufactured of a decorative material, preferably fabric, but other materials, including leather, vinyl, or plastic, may also be used. For purposes of describing the construction of container 10, reference will be made to a fabric or cloth material, but it is understood that the manufacturing and assembly steps are equally applicable to different materials.

FIG. 4 shows the layout of parts for container 10. These parts include a length of fabric or cloth formed into a cylinder or tube 40 by way of stitching 42. As shown in FIG. 4, tube 40 is turned inside out after which one end of tube 40 is inserted into bottom outside ring 26 and pulled over ring 26 to form a full perimeter fold 44 over ring 26. Tube 40 is temporarily attached to ring 26, for example, by way of stitches 45 placed by a quilt basting gun (not shown) in order to form a container side assembly 50. Bottom fabric 46, right side up, is placed over the bottom inside ring 24 to form a bottom assembly 52. Bottom fabric 46 is cut larger that the diameter of ring 24. Side assembly 50 is then forced over bottom assembly 52, using a number of possible techniques, including by hand, by the use of a form, or by a specific assembly machine, until the edges of rings 24 and 26 are aligned with each other. Bottom fabric 46 is pulled tight to remove any puckers, excess fabric of bottom 46 is removed, and side assembly 50 and bottom assembly 52 are then attached together, for example, by rivets 28 or other suitable attachment mechanism or means. Temporary stitches 45, or other forms of temporary attachment, may then be removed.

The partially assembled container 10 is then again turned inside-out to reveal the correct side of tube 40 and bottom 46 with bottom assembly 52 neatly attached to side assembly 50, as shown in FIG. 5.

Further referring to FIG. 5, the open end 57 of tube 40 is then placed over top outside ring 22 so that the top edge of tube 40 extends above ring 22, for example, in the embodiment shown, by approximately 6½ inches. Ring 22 is then attached to tube 40 by way of rivets 28, for example, or by other suitable means. The top inside ring 20 is then inserted into tube 40 until it is a certain distance from ring 22. In the embodiment shown, this distance is approximately 2inches, but the actual dimensions and distances will be determined by the overall size of container 10, the dimensions of rings 20 and 22, and the thickness and weight of the fabric of tube 40. Once ring 20 is in place, the top edge of tube 40 is folded over ring 20 to form a fold 56. Thereafter, means, such as rivets 28, are then used to attach tube 40 to ring 20. One alternative to the use of rivets 28 throughout the manufacturing process would be to use an industrial sewing machine to sew through the various layers of fabric and ring material.

Once tube 40 and ring 20 are firmly attached to each other, ring 20 is pushed down inside ring 22 until the top edges of rings 20 and 22 are even or flush, forming a pocket or slot 34 between rings 20 and 22, as can be seen in FIG. 6. As described in connection with FIG. 3, slot 34 is dimensioned to receive a standard plastic garbage bag 38, which is inserted by way of tool 39. Once full, bag 38 may be removed and discarded, and a new bag installed. Container 10, and in particular shell 12, does not get soiled and does not require cleaning as does a litter bag that holds trash and garbage directly.

As previously described, a variety of hanger or attachment mechanisms may be used with container 10 in order to fit a variety of vehicles. FIG. 7 shows an attachment device 60 that illustratively is made of a piece or strip 62 of heavy fabric, such as seat belt webbing, for example, and a length of wire 64. Wire 64 is attached to strip 62 by way of an end of strip 62 being folded over to capture a length of wire 64, with the folded part of strip 62 then being secured by rivets 66, for example. A snap 68 is also shown at the opposite end of strip 62 from where wire 64 is secured, for snap-on attachment of device 60 to snaps 61 which may be located around the periphery of container 10. FIG. 8 illustratively shows container 10 with two attachment devices 60 shown in place, although a single attachment device, or more than two attachment devices, may be provided. The loops of wire 64 may then the placed over any suitably shaped structure in order to hold container 10 in an open position.

FIG. 9 shows another device for holding container in place, such as in a vehicle, that is illustratively shown as an elastic harness 70. Harness 70 is made from a number of elastic straps 72 that form a loop 74. Loop 74 may be stretched to fit loop 74 of harness 70 over an item such as an automobile or van center console. Elastic straps 72 may also incorporate snap fasteners 76 that can attach to snaps 61 on the shell 12 of container 10, as can be seen in FIG. 8. Other types of fasteners, or other types of attachment devices, such as those made from multiple elastic straps or hooked hangers work well in vans and vehicles where those straps or hangers can hook onto or over seat armrests. A single elastic strap may be better suited to a small car that does not have armrests, but does have a center console over which a strap can be placed. A single elastic strap may also allow for hanging container 10 from a vehicle ashtray or front console. An adjustable strap may also be used to facilitate attachment of container 10 to a larger number of vehicle designs. In larger vehicles, container 10 will often hang free and remain open. In small vehicles, container 10 may sit on the vehicle floor, thereby necessitating the use of brace or braces 37 to maintain container fully open. Container 10 may be sold with a variety of attachment devices and one or more supporting braces included in a single package, or individual attachment devices and/or braces may be sold separately and chosen by purchasers specifically for their particular vehicle or intended location where they expect to use container 10.

FIG. 10 illustrates a waste container 80 having an outer shell 82 that may be made of the same variety of materials as shell 12 of waste container 10. Attached to shell 82 illustratively by rivets 84 is an upper outer band 86, similar to upper outer band 22 of container 10. Also attached to shell 82 is an upper inner band 88, similar to band 20 of container 10. As can be seen in FIG. 10, and with more detail in FIG. 10A, waste container 80 also incorporates an additional upper band 90 which sandwiches and secures the end 92 of shell 82. Bands 88 and 90 are concentrically positioned and attached together, illustratively in FIGS. 10 and 10A by rivets 94 and stitching 96. As can be seen in FIG. 11, the combined structure of band 88, shell end 92 and band 90 is then pushed into a concentric position with band 86 so as to form a channel or slot 34 that receives the top of a liner or bag in the same manner as is shown in FIG. 3. The presence of band 90 acts to strengthen the overall structure of container 80 as well as covering the end 92 of shell 82 so as to provide a more pleasing or aesthetic appearance.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes, modifications and equivalents that come within the spirit of the inventions disclosed are desired to be protected. The articles “a”, “an”, “said” and “the” are not limited to a singular element, and include one or more such elements. 

1. A waste container comprising: a cylindrical member having first and second ends; a first flexible, resilient band circumferentially disposed at said first end; a second band circumferentially disposed at said first end adjacent to and concentrically positioned with respect to said first band to form a circumferential slot between said first and second bands, said slot being dimensioned to receive and frictionally maintain a flexible liner in an open configuration.
 2. The waste container described in claim 1, further comprising a pair of concentrically disposed bands and a bottom member, said bands being disposed at said second end for capturing said second end of said cylindrical member and said bottom member to provide a closure of said second end.
 3. The waste container described in claim 1, wherein said flexible liner comprises a plastic bag.
 4. The waste container described in claim 1, wherein said cylindrical member is comprised of fabric.
 5. The waste container described in claim 1, wherein said cylindrical member is comprised of vinyl.
 6. The waste container described in claim 1, wherein said cylindrical member is comprised of leather.
 7. The waste container described in claim 1, wherein said cylindrical member is comprised of plastic.
 8. The waste container described in claim 1, further comprising attachment means for supporting and maintaining the position of said waste container in a location where said waste container is used.
 9. The waste container described in claim 8, wherein said attachment means are circumferentially disposed on said cylindrical member.
 10. The waste container described in claim 9, wherein said attachment means are located at points that are substantially diametrically opposed on said cylindrical member.
 11. The waste container described in claim 8, wherein said attachment means comprises an elastic band.
 12. The waste container described in claim 8, wherein said attachment means comprises at least one wire loop.
 13. The waste container described in claim 8, wherein said attachment means comprises at least one hook.
 14. The waste container described in claim 24, further comprising at least one support member extending substantially between said first and second ends of said cylindrical member.
 15. A method for forming a waste container, comprising the steps of: forming a cylindrical member having first and second open ends; providing a first pair of annular bands; positioning said first open end of said cylindrical member with respect to said first pair of bands such that said first open end forms a slot between said bands; providing a second pair of annular bands and a bottom member; positioning said second open end of said cylindrical member with respect to said second pair of bands and said bottom member such that said second open end cooperates with said second pair of bands and said bottom member to form a closed end of said cylindrical member; and inserting the open end of a flexible liner into said slot such that said liner is held in an open position and substantially completely contained within said cylindrical member.
 16. A waste container for a vehicle comprising: a flexible cylindrical member having first and second ends; a bottom member; a first pair of flexible, resilient concentrically positioned bands circumferentially disposed at said first end such that said first pair of bands form a circumferential slot, said slot being dimensioned to receive and frictionally maintain a flexible liner in an open configuration; a second pair of flexible, resilient concentrically positioned bands circumferentially disposed at said second end and cooperating with said bottom member to form a closure at said second end; attachment means disposed adjacent to said first end for cooperating with said vehicle to substantially maintain said waste container in a fixed position during use.
 17. A waste container comprising: a cylindrical member formed of decorative flexible material and having first and second open ends; a bottom member formed of said decorative flexible material; first and second flexible, resilient concentric bands circumferentially disposed at said first end, said first and second bands fixedly capturing said first end of said cylindrical member therebetween; third and fourth flexible, resilient concentric bands circumferentially disposed at said second end and cooperating with said bottom member and said second end of said cylindrical member to form a closure at said second end; a fifth flexible, resilient band circumferentially fixedly disposed within said cylindrical member such that said first and second bands cooperate with said fifth band to form a circumferential pocket of said decorative flexible material that is configured to receive and frictionally maintain a flexible liner in an open position within said cylindrical member.
 18. The waste container described in claim 17, further comprising at least one elongated support member fixedly disposed between said first and second ends of said cylindrical member such that said waste container is freestanding.
 19. The waste container described in claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second bands comprise a tubular shape and extends substantially between said first and second ends.
 20. The waste container described in claim 14, wherein said support member comprises a rectangular shape.
 21. The waste container described in claim 14, wherein said support member comprises a tubular shape. 